Team Social Network Structures Affect Attributions of Charismatic Leadership to Men and Women

Abstract

When it comes to charismatic leaders, do people hold out for a hero or a heroine? We propose that charismatic leadership attributions depend on the social network context within which the prospective leader – man or woman – is embedded. In three studies, two field and one experimental, we show that when team advice networks are characterized by high power concentration, individuals tend to attribute women (relative to men) leaders with less charisma. But when these power-concentrated team networks are also characterized by a high level of cohesion, the bias against women as charismatic leaders attenuates. Our results emphasize the need to consider the psychological effects of social networks in explaining women’s leadership disadvantage.